Comparison of the Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of 4,7-dichloroquinoline and 7-chloro-4-iodoquinoline with arylboronic acids using phosphine-free palladium catalysis in water

4,7-Dichloroquinoline (1a) and 7-chloro-4-iodoquinoline (1b) undergo Suzuki cross-coupling reactions with arylboronic acids catalyzed by phosphine-free palladium acetate in boiling water. Using phenylboronic acid (2), the reaction of 1a provides 7-chloro-4-phenylquinoline (3) (78%) together with diphenylquinoline (4) (12%), while 1b reacts in a much more regioselective fashion and provides 3 in 98% isolated yield. Although 1b undergoes a more regioselective Suzuki reaction than 1a, additional important observations are that the overall reaction of 1b with 2 is three times slower than 1a and that the reaction occurs in the absence of tetrabutylammonium bromide. Using optimized reaction conditions, a variety of aryl and vinylboronic acids undergo regioselective Suzuki cross-coupling with 1b to provide the products 7, 10, and 11 in good to excellent yield.